Construction Update: February 2, 2012

Spring Construction
All the College building projects are benefiting from this week’s unusually warm temperatures. Concrete is curing faster, excavation is easier and, importantly, money is being saved on temporary heat. But there is a downside to the thaw–mud. It sticks to work boots and makes for slippery work sites. Extra vigilance is needed to insure everything is kept clean to maintain a safe environment for the construction crews.

Ingenuity
That second crane piercing the Truax skyline defines productivity. It’s been on site less than a week and already the 100-ton ground crane has positioned primary support beams for the Ingenuity Center. It’s going to take a lot of steel to build the two-story wing and three-story Gateway building next door. We’re expecting about 42 truck loads to be delivered in the next few weeks to construct both facilities.

Endings and Beginnings
It won’t be long before the iron skeleton of the Health Education Center is finished. Steelworkers are framing the fourth and final section of the three-story classroom building. While the steel installation winds down, work on top of the building begins. Crews are now decking the roof in Area A, the side that faces the visitor parking lot.

PS Steel
More construction trailers are rolling onto the Protective Services building site this week. New work crews are mobilizing for the next phase—steel!

Regional Roundup
Masons are on the job in Reedsburg where work continues on the three additions. Masonry on all three is projected to be finished by the end of February. The focus at Fort Atkinson is completing the footings and foundations at the new Welding Lab; the Watertown project is targeted for launch in March.

Downtown and Beyond
What’s next for the Downtown Campus? That’s what the Board of Trustees is pondering. At a special meeting in January, the Board heard an update on the Facilities Master Plan including how to proceed with additional building projects funded through the referendum. Topping the to-do list is deciding next steps for the Downtown Campus (DTEC) and the Culinary Arts Program. 

One option for DTEC includes growing the campus by adding a building to accommodate more students and programs. The Board is also exploring ways to address the space needs for Culinary Arts. The popular program is out of room at its current location where it shares space with the Truax cafeteria. The Board directed the Facilities Team to create a conceptual plan that outlines possibilities for DTEC and the Culinary Arts Program. Expect more discussion on both proposed projects over the next few months.